


The Dreaded Talk

by dontstudywritenovels



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types, The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Brotherly Love, Family Feels, Found Family, Grief/Mourning, Growing Up, Introspection, Pony is still grieving, Pony is trying to grow up but stay green at the same time, The Gang as family, The Talk, They give Pony the talk, but im in my feels so its kind of sad, he misses his friends, it was supposed to be funny
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:40:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29342949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontstudywritenovels/pseuds/dontstudywritenovels
Summary: “Okay, Ponyboy, now I wish we didn’t have to do this, but yer gettin’ older and Dad ain’t here to talk to you like he did with me and Soda so it’s gotta be this way.” Suddenly, Pony is very aware of what's going on. “You’re getting older and when you get as old as Soda and me, things are gonna start gettin...a little different.”OrDarry and Sodapop give Ponyboy The Talk. It doesn’t go quite how they expect.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	The Dreaded Talk

**Author's Note:**

> My first time writing for this fandom!! I’ve only seen one other Talk fic, and while that was *chef’s kiss* I think we need to see more of this dynamic. Enjoy!

The day had started as normal as any other. Darry called from the kitchen that Pony was going to be late for school, Sodapop having to shake him awake before he was rushed out of the house, barely having time to put on both of his shoes on before he left. School was getting easier again, after writing his theme some of his other grades started to improve. Maybe Darry had been right, even when people die, life still goes on. Ponyboy still had to grow up.

The growing up part was made more evident when he finally came home, seeing the whole gang in the living room. The usually loud group was strangely silent as he shut the front door behind him. Ponyboy almost went to turn around, sensing the oncoming trouble, but Darry stopped him.

“Pony,” Darry spoke. “Have a seat, kid, we gotta talk to you.” Pony looked at Sodapop who seemed to find the floor real interesting all of a sudden. 

“What about?” Ponyboy asked, eyes flickering from Sodapop to Steve who was smiling real wide as he leaned against the wall. Pony wished he stopped by the movies on the way home suddenly, knowing if Steve was happy about whatever was happening, he was in serious trouble. 

“Just take a seat kiddo.” Sodapop sighed. “The guys,” Sodapop said like he was talking past Pony, “are goin to go wait outside for a bit.” Steve made a sound of protest, clearly not happy to miss out, but Two-bit slapped the other greaser’s shoulder in an urging manner, leading him outside. 

“We’ll watch the exits.” Two-bit smirked. “Make sure no one interrupts you or nothin. Ain’t that right Steve?”

“Oh yeah. Make sure no one skips out neither.” The smile is back on Steve’s face and Pony may not be too wise, but he’s smart enough to know he’s screwed. Not trying to start another fight with Darry, Pony takes a seat next to Soda on the couch. Once the door slams behind Steve and Two-Bit, Darry grabs a chair from the table, swinging it around and straddling it so he can face Pony and Soda. 

“Okay, Ponyboy, now I wish we didn’t have to do this, but yer gettin’ older and Dad ain’t here to talk to you like he did with me and Soda so it’s gotta be this way.” Suddenly, Pony is very aware of what's going on. “You’re getting older and when you get as old as Soda and me, things are gonna start gettin...a little different.” 

“Can’t I just learn this stuff at school,” Pony interrupted. “We have Biology and Anatomy and everything. Do we really gotta-”

“Ponyboy, this is hard for us too, but we love you a lot kiddo.” Sodapop spoke. “And school ain’t gonna teach you everything, that’s our job.” 

“Yeah, but I know a lot already, I don’t think-” Pony started, but Darry cut him off.

“Okay, kid, why don’t you start off with what you think and we can go from there if you know it all.” Ponyboy got really red at the thought of saying the things he overheard the other boys talking about in school or, hell, even half the crap Dally used to gab on about. 

“Ya alright, let’s just get this over with.” Pony frowned.

* * *

It was a little like when Darry would yell at Pony for walking alone, getting home late, spending too much time reading, he understood it, but he didn’t get it. Pony wondered if it would always be like this, Pony understanding the words being said to him, but not really grasping them. 

“So I’m supposed to wait until I meet someone I really _really_ love?” Pony asked. Darry nodded in affirmation. “How do I even know if I love someone?” Pony eyebrows furrowed, mouth scrunched up.

“You’ll know, Pony.” Soda promised. “Someday you’ll meet somebody and you’ll fall in love with them. Simple as that.” 

“But how am I supposed to be sure. I mean you thought Sandy-” Ponyboy stopped himself. “I'm sorry Soda I didn’t mean, I know you loved Sandy.” 

“You’re right Pony, I did love Sandy,” Sodapop said. “Sometimes even if you love someone, it doesn’t mean they’re gonna love you the same way.” Pony wondered if this is why he never quite got what Darry was saying to him. Everything Darry said made sense, but it was all complicated, everything was complicated these days. 

“So I gotta find someone I love a whole lot, then just, what, hope they feel the same? And even if they say they do, maybe it’s not the truth? Maybe they’re just saying that?” Pony was getting frustrated. “And what if I do that to somebody. Maybe I think I love them a whole lot, but I’m wrong because I don’t even know what love is supposed to feel like.” Maybe this is why Pony is better at Math than English. He hated to sound like some square who liked numbers because you could prove equations. English was all emotions, trying to guess what the author meant.

It was like that poem about being golden, it took Johnny being on his death bed before he really understood. Pony wished it was easier to stay green when everything was so complicated. Ever since what happened he felt all messed up inside. Maybe he was golden before, but the gold had faded before he even realized it was there. 

“Christ Pony, maybe try taking a girl out once before you decide love ain’t worth anything.” Soda put a hand on Pony’s shoulder. “I know it’s confusing kiddo, but love’s real nice when it comes down to it. You’ll see, I promise.”

“Sure,” Pony responded. 

“Come on, Pony. I’ll buy you a Pepsi since you didn’t turn into a blubbering baby like Soda did when dad talked to him.” Darry smiled, moving to push the chair back under the table.

“Hey!” Sodapop laughed as he stood up.

The boys squabbled for a bit while Pony stared at his folded hands. He wondered what Johnny would have said, probably that Pony had it better than he realized. He was always good at knocking some sense in Pony’s head. Dally probably would have joked that Pony wouldn’t worry so much about love when he finally got a girl, Darry would have chewed him out for being so crass in front of Pony. 

“Alright, alright, stop gabbing, both of you. I want to get that Pepsi before Darry’s sense comes back to him,” Pony joked as he stood up, joining his brothers as they walked through the front door. 

End. 

**Author's Note:**

> I LIVE OFF OF KUDOS AND COMMENTS 
> 
> Want to request something? Prompt me on my [tumblr](https://dontstudywritenovels.tumblr.com)! I'm always looking to fulfill prompts((:


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